It felt sooooo good to finally leave Hue, and be back on my bike. For the first couple of hours. It dawned on me that I probably should have ridden my bike a bit more. Then I got sunburned, despite spf 30 sunscreen. I was wearing my new shorts, and my poor thighs haven't seen the sun in a long time. They were a wee bit ill prepared.
There were hills and mountains as well. The first mountain pass was fairly easy, and pretty small and short. The second mountain pass was a bit more steep, but it didn't last that long. The third mountain pass was more difficult and a bit higher and steeper. When I got to Lang Co, I decided to stop. It is a beach resort town, but I really didn't want to sit in any more sun. I'm a bit, how can I put it, not too happy with sunshine right now. I sat on the balcony of my hotel and watched the world go by instead. There was no electricity again, I think it its a nation wide problem.
I'm so glad I waited till morning to start the last mountain pass to get to DaNang. It reminded me of the mountain that wouldn't' end in China. Only this one did end. Apparently I'm inspiring to a couple from Chicago. They couldn't get over that I was doing this by myself. That made me feel good. Especially since on the way up the mountain I didn't get any spectacular views, because that morning it was spectacularly foggy.
On the away down I did get a glimpse of the bay surrounded by the fog shrouded mountain. It was worth the trip.
I then headed out of Da Nang, and on to Hoi An. I thought Hoi An was on Hwy 1, but again, I was wrong.
But I now know how to get to Hwy 1, my hotel has a deck overlooking the river (and I'm about to go and have a coffee there after I post this) and I had a wonderful fried noodle w/pumpkin for dinner.
Life is ok.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
leaving
Well, apparently my visa will be ready tomorrow morning. I mailed my winter clothes ( it cost more than I thought it would) to Aunt Veda, got my bike fixed up (it cost less than I thought it would, but not enough to make up for the mail) sewed the rips in my bike bag, and started the packing.
I did meet two interesting young women, who were here on a Buddhist pilgrimage. We are going to meet later, I can't wait to hear about their adventure.
I can't wait to get started again.
I know that sometimes it is a bit boring, and sometimes it is hard, and many times I want to quit, and I whine about the b.s. But.
I can't wait to get started again, see Da Nang, see some of the coast line.
Till I post again, be good, be happy and have fun.
I did meet two interesting young women, who were here on a Buddhist pilgrimage. We are going to meet later, I can't wait to hear about their adventure.
I can't wait to get started again.
I know that sometimes it is a bit boring, and sometimes it is hard, and many times I want to quit, and I whine about the b.s. But.
I can't wait to get started again, see Da Nang, see some of the coast line.
Till I post again, be good, be happy and have fun.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
hey
The word is Wednesday morning. I will get my visa on Wednesday. It is for Vietnam, and I really really feel frustrated. But. I will go on, and Damn It, I am going to Singapore.
I think I might have to rush through Cambodia though, but that is ok, according to my map, the road from Kratie to Strung Treng is "interesting"
I'll see when I get there, and since I have to go the rest of the way through Vietnam, and get the new visas in Saigon (for Cambodia and Laos),
I'm not quite sure why I'm doing this.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.
I think I might have to rush through Cambodia though, but that is ok, according to my map, the road from Kratie to Strung Treng is "interesting"
I'll see when I get there, and since I have to go the rest of the way through Vietnam, and get the new visas in Saigon (for Cambodia and Laos),
I'm not quite sure why I'm doing this.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.
Friday, March 23, 2007
sigh
I'm still in Hue
I can't go to another town and have them send my passport because I need the visa for the hotels.
I can't hurry the government. (and since I offered to pay even more for a hurry-up and she said it was impossible, I tend to believe her more that it really is a government thing and not a fraud thing)
The electricity keeps going off in my neighborhood.
I don't want to see another pagoda.
I am obviously not a "good" tourist. I find most of the touristy sites to be profoundly boring. But I thought some of the dusty not on the map towns to be pretty interesting.
My front tire has another flat, but I think I'll wait till Monday to fix that and mail my winter clothes.
On the bright side:
I found a restaurant that has a beautiful avocado salad. I love avocado.
The riverfront park is beautiful. I like sitting by the river, watching it lazily meander downstream while on the bridge everyone is hurrying and scurrying across.
Till I post again be good, be happy, and have fun.
I can't go to another town and have them send my passport because I need the visa for the hotels.
I can't hurry the government. (and since I offered to pay even more for a hurry-up and she said it was impossible, I tend to believe her more that it really is a government thing and not a fraud thing)
The electricity keeps going off in my neighborhood.
I don't want to see another pagoda.
I am obviously not a "good" tourist. I find most of the touristy sites to be profoundly boring. But I thought some of the dusty not on the map towns to be pretty interesting.
My front tire has another flat, but I think I'll wait till Monday to fix that and mail my winter clothes.
On the bright side:
I found a restaurant that has a beautiful avocado salad. I love avocado.
The riverfront park is beautiful. I like sitting by the river, watching it lazily meander downstream while on the bridge everyone is hurrying and scurrying across.
Till I post again be good, be happy, and have fun.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Who'll stop the rain
Or why my life is the new definition of suck.
It is rainy. Yesterday it rained all day. Which overall would be ok, since I wanted to rest, and I had done a day of business on Monday. but....
The lights went out. It wasn't the hotel's fault, it is the whole neighborhood. And there was a problem with extending my visa. I'm still not sure if it is a rip-off by the agency or a regularity problem with the government official (here in S.E.Asia, and parts of E.Asia, that is a factor when dealing with any official agency). It is going to cost me 40.00 us more, plus I'm stuck here for 6 more days. On the bright side, my hotel will give me a discount for a long term stay, and I do like them. (except for the creepy guy that was in the hall, whose first question was Do you stay here? *duh, I'm going into one of the rooms- and whose second question was Are you alone? * I answered sharply -none of your business. Don't worry, he left this morning and I am bigger than he is anyway.
I thought seriously of getting my passport back, going to HoChiMihn on the bus and getting a ticket home.
I keep thinking about the things I miss: Going to a store and buying clothes, without any hassle, finding my size.... Eating food that I know... (and "don't ask don't tell" may be debatable as military policy, but is excellent food policy here)... Being able to talk to people without cultural and language barriers... knowing the price of things at the store....Not being accosted by 20 moto/cyclo/taxi/tuck-tuck drivers when I walk down the street. I keep thinking about home.
But....
I'm already committed to the visa extension/new visa thing. And although it puts a crimp in my budget, it isn't the end of the world. And if I go to HoChiMihn after this, I might as well go into Cambodia. If I go to Cambodia, I don't want to miss Laos. (Laos is one of my favorite S.E.Asian countries) And if I go to Laos, I'm more than half way to Singapore, so I might as well finish. If you want some of the stories, you have to buy the margaritas.
And.
Even though it is rainy, and I'm in a grumpy mood, and my hotel doesn't have electricity so I don't have hot water for a shower, and I really don't want to stay here so long, I know that overall, the journey is a good one. And it is the journey not the destination.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.
It is rainy. Yesterday it rained all day. Which overall would be ok, since I wanted to rest, and I had done a day of business on Monday. but....
The lights went out. It wasn't the hotel's fault, it is the whole neighborhood. And there was a problem with extending my visa. I'm still not sure if it is a rip-off by the agency or a regularity problem with the government official (here in S.E.Asia, and parts of E.Asia, that is a factor when dealing with any official agency). It is going to cost me 40.00 us more, plus I'm stuck here for 6 more days. On the bright side, my hotel will give me a discount for a long term stay, and I do like them. (except for the creepy guy that was in the hall, whose first question was Do you stay here? *duh, I'm going into one of the rooms- and whose second question was Are you alone? * I answered sharply -none of your business. Don't worry, he left this morning and I am bigger than he is anyway.
I thought seriously of getting my passport back, going to HoChiMihn on the bus and getting a ticket home.
I keep thinking about the things I miss: Going to a store and buying clothes, without any hassle, finding my size.... Eating food that I know... (and "don't ask don't tell" may be debatable as military policy, but is excellent food policy here)... Being able to talk to people without cultural and language barriers... knowing the price of things at the store....Not being accosted by 20 moto/cyclo/taxi/tuck-tuck drivers when I walk down the street. I keep thinking about home.
But....
I'm already committed to the visa extension/new visa thing. And although it puts a crimp in my budget, it isn't the end of the world. And if I go to HoChiMihn after this, I might as well go into Cambodia. If I go to Cambodia, I don't want to miss Laos. (Laos is one of my favorite S.E.Asian countries) And if I go to Laos, I'm more than half way to Singapore, so I might as well finish. If you want some of the stories, you have to buy the margaritas.
And.
Even though it is rainy, and I'm in a grumpy mood, and my hotel doesn't have electricity so I don't have hot water for a shower, and I really don't want to stay here so long, I know that overall, the journey is a good one. And it is the journey not the destination.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Tales to tell
The whole sordid tale:
Well, I thought I could get a visa extension in Vihn. It is actually a bigger city than Hue. But. They don't have much in the way of the backpacker tourist things that Hue does. And Hue is pronounced whey as in little miss muffet and her curds. Even my coffee mix was hard to find. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I'm starting to like coffee mix....I don't really want to talk about it.
The fact that Vihn doesn't have a tourist office that does visa extensions leaves me in a small bind. I have to really push it to get to Hue before my visa expires.
I leave Vihn early, and keep going Ky Ahn is the next town according to the km markers. I hoped it would be big enough for a hotel. Before Vihn there were a lot of towns and even hotels that were on the side of the road, but after Vihn not so many. It was miles of not much but lots of bright green broken up occasionally by the darker green of trees. They have almost finished planting the rice and there are so many shades of green here. I think green should be Vietnam's national color.Very beautiful but a bit worrisome when looking for a place to stay for the night.
I finally get into Ky Ahn, and they do have ONE hotel, with karaoke. I am so tired I don't even care. I get up early yet again and head for Dong Hoi. (95 km) I make it to Dong Hoi, and get a room, but I'm so tired I can't tell you much about the town. It seemed nice enough. And I had a great view of the rice fields in the sunset. I get up early and head for Dong Ha (90km)
On my way to Dong Ha I get two flat tires. They were easy enough to fix, but I was worried about the time. I think there is something about the roads that are bad for tires here. Sometimes there are more tire repair shops than cafes by the side of the road. Anyway. I moved on and moved on. About 30 km from Dong Ha I'm going slowly because I'm in a crush of other bikes, mostly school kids. A woman makes a right turn and crashes into my back tire. She is angry because she thinks this is my fault ( I think that is what she was yelling about.) Meanwhile I'm dusting my self off assessing the damage: skinned elbow and knee, and a chain that will need a real mechanic to fix- I just don't have the tools. So I leave the woman who has since gotten back on her bike, and I start walking because I know eventually I will find a Hon Da shop and they can fix the bike. The school kids of course follow (what's your name? where are you from? how old are you?) annoying but... I do find the shop, I do get my bike fixed, and I do keep going. I get to Dong Ha. ( I am going to have to watch for dehydration, I think that was part of the problem)
I think it is Saturday. I have to be in Hue by Sunday so that I can get my visa extended on Monday.
It is not Saturday. It is Friday.
Hue is only 60 km away. I sigh in relief. I still head out early, but I have time for a little more leisurely breakfast. I teach the cafe guy to make eggs with tomato. And then I'm off. I even stop at the cool little cafe for some sugar cane juice (not as sweet as it sounds and very refreshing).
I get into Hue and get into another minor spill on my bike. And by the way, sunburn on a skinned elbow, is the new definition of suck.
I decide, I really need a nice place and a rest. So I go to a "nice" hotel, and pay 30.00 us for a room. ( a quick note, most rooms I've been staying in were 6-8 us) but I wanted a treat. Hmph.
Well, the room didn't have a window (ok because I wanted to sleep in, and I usually wake up at first light) The hot water was over before I could shave my legs. ( I admit it takes a bit longer with all the dings and scrapes to my legs, but...) I go downstairs because I don't want to go anywhere for dinner. I decide I want a drink. They don't have Kahlua. They don't have rum. I want to cry. Dinner was so-so. I ask for an 8am wake up call.
7:30 the maid asks if she can clean my room. The cable had only one English channel. ( usually I don't care, but that night, ...treat...) :( I leave.
I do find another hotel. This one is 8.00 us. It has hot water long enough to shave my legs and get a few kinks out of my shoulders. The staff are really friendly. And the tv has way more channels in English. This is very good because I am in Hue until Friday morning.
I found a place to get my visa extended, (60.00 us *sigh*) and I found a post office to mail my winter clothes I started with. I will find some good shorts, I found a bike repair shop to get my bike tuned up again.
Actually I think the break will do me good. I don't even want to look at that bike until Friday.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun
Well, I thought I could get a visa extension in Vihn. It is actually a bigger city than Hue. But. They don't have much in the way of the backpacker tourist things that Hue does. And Hue is pronounced whey as in little miss muffet and her curds. Even my coffee mix was hard to find. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I'm starting to like coffee mix....I don't really want to talk about it.
The fact that Vihn doesn't have a tourist office that does visa extensions leaves me in a small bind. I have to really push it to get to Hue before my visa expires.
I leave Vihn early, and keep going Ky Ahn is the next town according to the km markers. I hoped it would be big enough for a hotel. Before Vihn there were a lot of towns and even hotels that were on the side of the road, but after Vihn not so many. It was miles of not much but lots of bright green broken up occasionally by the darker green of trees. They have almost finished planting the rice and there are so many shades of green here. I think green should be Vietnam's national color.Very beautiful but a bit worrisome when looking for a place to stay for the night.
I finally get into Ky Ahn, and they do have ONE hotel, with karaoke. I am so tired I don't even care. I get up early yet again and head for Dong Hoi. (95 km) I make it to Dong Hoi, and get a room, but I'm so tired I can't tell you much about the town. It seemed nice enough. And I had a great view of the rice fields in the sunset. I get up early and head for Dong Ha (90km)
On my way to Dong Ha I get two flat tires. They were easy enough to fix, but I was worried about the time. I think there is something about the roads that are bad for tires here. Sometimes there are more tire repair shops than cafes by the side of the road. Anyway. I moved on and moved on. About 30 km from Dong Ha I'm going slowly because I'm in a crush of other bikes, mostly school kids. A woman makes a right turn and crashes into my back tire. She is angry because she thinks this is my fault ( I think that is what she was yelling about.) Meanwhile I'm dusting my self off assessing the damage: skinned elbow and knee, and a chain that will need a real mechanic to fix- I just don't have the tools. So I leave the woman who has since gotten back on her bike, and I start walking because I know eventually I will find a Hon Da shop and they can fix the bike. The school kids of course follow (what's your name? where are you from? how old are you?) annoying but... I do find the shop, I do get my bike fixed, and I do keep going. I get to Dong Ha. ( I am going to have to watch for dehydration, I think that was part of the problem)
I think it is Saturday. I have to be in Hue by Sunday so that I can get my visa extended on Monday.
It is not Saturday. It is Friday.
Hue is only 60 km away. I sigh in relief. I still head out early, but I have time for a little more leisurely breakfast. I teach the cafe guy to make eggs with tomato. And then I'm off. I even stop at the cool little cafe for some sugar cane juice (not as sweet as it sounds and very refreshing).
I get into Hue and get into another minor spill on my bike. And by the way, sunburn on a skinned elbow, is the new definition of suck.
I decide, I really need a nice place and a rest. So I go to a "nice" hotel, and pay 30.00 us for a room. ( a quick note, most rooms I've been staying in were 6-8 us) but I wanted a treat. Hmph.
Well, the room didn't have a window (ok because I wanted to sleep in, and I usually wake up at first light) The hot water was over before I could shave my legs. ( I admit it takes a bit longer with all the dings and scrapes to my legs, but...) I go downstairs because I don't want to go anywhere for dinner. I decide I want a drink. They don't have Kahlua. They don't have rum. I want to cry. Dinner was so-so. I ask for an 8am wake up call.
7:30 the maid asks if she can clean my room. The cable had only one English channel. ( usually I don't care, but that night, ...treat...) :( I leave.
I do find another hotel. This one is 8.00 us. It has hot water long enough to shave my legs and get a few kinks out of my shoulders. The staff are really friendly. And the tv has way more channels in English. This is very good because I am in Hue until Friday morning.
I found a place to get my visa extended, (60.00 us *sigh*) and I found a post office to mail my winter clothes I started with. I will find some good shorts, I found a bike repair shop to get my bike tuned up again.
Actually I think the break will do me good. I don't even want to look at that bike until Friday.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun
Saturday, March 17, 2007
bad blogger, no biscut
I'm safe in Hue, and at yet another hotel computer. I promise to tell the whole sordid story tomorrow. (it isn't that sordid, but ....)
I did 95 km a day for 3 days straight and so I'm about to crash tonight. But the hotel is nice and has HBO. I'll try to stay awake for a movie or something. I don't feel too guilty. I'll be here in Hue for a few days getting my visa extension.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.
*and let's face it, the motorcycle boys ARE fun
I did 95 km a day for 3 days straight and so I'm about to crash tonight. But the hotel is nice and has HBO. I'll try to stay awake for a movie or something. I don't feel too guilty. I'll be here in Hue for a few days getting my visa extension.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.
*and let's face it, the motorcycle boys ARE fun
Friday, March 9, 2007
ohh my
Well, I rolled into Hanoi, about 5pm, found a hotel near "swan lake" and wandered around. I should feel a bit guilty, as the next day, when I should have been looking at cultural sites etc, I spent the afternoon drinking chocolate martinis and listening to jazz. I like Vietnam because they like coffee almost as much as I do. The big difference is they like it much stronger than I do, and they put sweetened condenced milk in it. It makes for quite the rich brew.
The Vietnamese are for the most part very friendly, and the motorcycle boys are similar to the ones in China: 3 or 4 piled on one bike, shouting and laughing and ready to say something encouring. At least that is what I think they are saying.
I've also managed to make friends with a waterbuffalo/oxen type animal. It was interesting.
I'm now in a small town called Phu li. They say Highway 1 has too much traffic, and maybe because I am used to China I don't really feel it. Yeah going into and out of the towns or cities there is traffic, but it isn't THAT bad. I didn't find a really good map in Hanoi, so hopefully in Hue I will. I think I'm also going to have to get a visa extention. I don't think I'll make it to Ho Chi Mhin city by the 20th.
Till I post again, be good, be happy and have fun.
The Vietnamese are for the most part very friendly, and the motorcycle boys are similar to the ones in China: 3 or 4 piled on one bike, shouting and laughing and ready to say something encouring. At least that is what I think they are saying.
I've also managed to make friends with a waterbuffalo/oxen type animal. It was interesting.
I'm now in a small town called Phu li. They say Highway 1 has too much traffic, and maybe because I am used to China I don't really feel it. Yeah going into and out of the towns or cities there is traffic, but it isn't THAT bad. I didn't find a really good map in Hanoi, so hopefully in Hue I will. I think I'm also going to have to get a visa extention. I don't think I'll make it to Ho Chi Mhin city by the 20th.
Till I post again, be good, be happy and have fun.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Vietnam
I made it. I had to go on the express way, and at first I was nervous, but then since like the bridge near Gangzhou, everyone was ignoring the no bikes no pedestrian sign, I kept going. The border crossing was pretty easy, I'm in a nice border town, and I am about to eat my first real Vietnamese meal.
I had all of these thoughts I wanted to put down, about the flower trees, and bundled babies with their butts poking out, and lazy dogs watching the world go by, and and and, the words are all lovely in my head, while I'm on my bike, but ... when it comes to writing it down, once I get on the computer, the words drift off, like butterflies and my head is empty.
I feel kinda sad to leave China.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.
I had all of these thoughts I wanted to put down, about the flower trees, and bundled babies with their butts poking out, and lazy dogs watching the world go by, and and and, the words are all lovely in my head, while I'm on my bike, but ... when it comes to writing it down, once I get on the computer, the words drift off, like butterflies and my head is empty.
I feel kinda sad to leave China.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
I made it!
I made it across China. I did it. Yeah I think I'm cool.
I will enter Vietnam tomorrow.
Wow
All in all, except for a few small problems, it has been a great trip. I've seen some beautiful sights, eaten some very interesting food, and met some great people. (I've even seen ox drawn carts. How cool is that? It got a bit interesting when trying to avoid both the ox ploppies and the trucks, but it was cool seeing oxen napping by the side of the road.)
I'm excited about Vietnam, but at the same time a bit sad to leave China. It was wonderful.
I will enter Vietnam tomorrow.
Wow
All in all, except for a few small problems, it has been a great trip. I've seen some beautiful sights, eaten some very interesting food, and met some great people. (I've even seen ox drawn carts. How cool is that? It got a bit interesting when trying to avoid both the ox ploppies and the trucks, but it was cool seeing oxen napping by the side of the road.)
I'm excited about Vietnam, but at the same time a bit sad to leave China. It was wonderful.
Friday, March 2, 2007
Easy like Sunday morning
I only wish I had come here sooner so that I could enjoy this province more. I got into Naning yesterday. Wow what a nice city. It just felt so relaxed, and everything was easy. As I was leaving Yunfu, I realized that I wasn't alone in my ordeal. So many people were tense, and part of the problem was of course the bad guys. I took a bus into Naning, because I was tired and I don't have much time left. I could tell the difference when we went through Cenxi. This has got to be the most tidy place in China. Even the trash dumps are tidy. It is kinda amazing. Naning can only be described as lush. It was a very pretty city. It took me a long time to get out of the city, not because I got lost (I didn't for once) but because I kept slowing down to enjoy the place. Even changing money was easy compared to everywhere else. If I ever come back to China, I would consider Naning. The only problem was about 15 km outside the city, the 322 just disappeared. I asked how to get to Baoling- the next city, and apparently you go along one road, then you have to go up a dirt ramp, then you are back on the 322. I was a bit nervous about the proposition, but after I went up the dirt ramp I saw a truck that was stopped. I asked the driver and he said, go on the road. Then I saw the kilometer marker and I was indeed on the right road. Unfortunately it is not a very good road with a very very narrow shoulder, and there was a lot of wind. I only made 50 km today. I'm staying at a very interesting rooming house (only 10 yuan for the night so I can't really complain) in a very friendly small town. Tomorrow I will be in Baoling, and on the 4th I'll be in Pingxing. I will then have finished China. I will post a retrospective of the journey then.
Till I post again, be good, be happy and have fun.
Till I post again, be good, be happy and have fun.
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